Pinch-to-zoom is probably one of the most well-known functions of iOS, Apple protecting this system through a patent that it used to attack Android terminal manufacturers. Yesterday, in a court hearing discussing Samsung's appeal against the decision to award Apple $1.05 billion in damages, it was found out that the US patent and trademark office invalidated the patent for the pinch-to-zoom system.
In the invalidation decision, the office stated that there are several patents in which the system is described in similar ways, those patents being registered before the one submitted by Apple, and thus its invalidation was imposed. This patent had an important role in the award of 1.05 billion dollars in damages to Apple, the judge who presided over the case refused to allow the reduction of the amount after the invalidation of the patent, but the blow received by Apple is very strong.
Practically, now Apple uses this technology without having coverage in case of a lawsuit, the holders of the patents that describe it can sue Apple and the company has nothing to protect itself in the future. In the same way, Apple can no longer attack the manufacturers of Android terminals and in the future it may find out that other important invention patents could be invalidated.
